Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in India
India: Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese was 11.5% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in India, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in India stood at 11.5%. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
That represents a change of up 4.7% on the previous year and up 64.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in India peaked at 11.5% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.4%, in 1980.
That places India 172nd out of 199 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.2% | 0.8% | 1.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.6% | 2.0% | 5.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.3% | 5.6% | 9.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.5% | 9.5% | 11.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near India
- 169 Sierra Leone 12.2% compare
- 170 South Sudan 11.9% compare
- 171 Tajikistan 11.8% compare
- 173 Cape Verde 11.5% compare
- 174 Guinea-Bissau 11.4% compare
- 175 Guinea 10.8% compare
More health data for India
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,332 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 44,822 deaths (2100)
- Deaths in armed conflicts based on where they occurred 76 deaths (2026)
- Deaths in armed conflicts by region 76 deaths (2026)
- Age population, age 25, male, interpolated 13.43 million (2025)
- Age population, age 25, female, interpolated 12.16 million (2025)
- Age population, age 24, male, interpolated 13.62 million (2025)
- Age population, age 24, female, interpolated 12.35 million (2025)
- Age population, age 23, male, interpolated 13.69 million (2025)
- Age population, age 23, female, interpolated 12.44 million (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in India?
- Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in India was 11.5% in 2024, according to World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 11.5% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.4% in 1980.
- How does India rank for share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese?
- India ranks 172nd out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 64.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of children and adolescents aged 5 to 19 years old that are defined as either overweight or obese. This means their weight-for-height is more than one standard deviations from the median of the World Health Organization (WHO) Child Growth Standards.